Tag Archives: Skylodge

Dust up that lumberjack shirt, muddy those felling boots and whack on a furry hat… Skylodge has opened it’s little wooden doors in a cleverly cosy rooftop setting in Hackney, creating a haven for all lumberjacks and Jills. These pop-up aficionados opened with a rather spectacular thanksgiving turkey chase through London Fields leading the lumberjacks (and the turkey) to a grand sanctuary.

I went to the opening and found some incredible food, amazing hot and cold cocktails and entertainment to mark a very sound addition to the quirky Hackney bar scene – Chuck Norris approved!

As you turn off a Martello street (the lane just past Pub on the Park) and climb the stairs to Platterform, you enter a world of chopped wood, open fires, heated booths and a lumberjack diner, of course. There’s an outside terrace as well as a covered and heated indoor area where you find all the food and drink you could want to fill up on a winter’s evening.

Their specialties are the vast selection of hot cocktails – hot toddies and mulled everythings- as well as a cool cocktail list, wines and beers. The bar tenders are funny, friendly and odd, which makes it an interesting tipple. They recommend some ace alcoholicly warming drinks. Shame they are mainly served in rapidly cooling cardboard cups, but they hit the mark none-the-less.

A couple of drinks (a bit like a naughty cuppa!) and a wonder around later and it’s time for rumbling bellies to get find solace. The restaurant area has ample shared tables and some cute wooden hut-booths. American style plates are surprisingly small, but very tasty and filling. We went for the sloppy joes, baked beans and pulled pork, which were all really good, especially the baked beans with cheese.

The event clincher was that said chased turkey of the opening paragraph (once he got his breath back), played a sublime unplugged acoustic set later in the evening which ended a beautifully intimate and indulgent night within a solidly themed, fun place that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

This great winter hang out spot is open until April and as well as the restaurant and music they are hosting film nights too. Can’t wait to go back!